ASA Takes Action Over Broadband Speed & 'Unlimited' Ad Claims

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has this week confirmed it is at long, long last reviewing how ISPs and carriers market their Internet services. Key on the list: broadband speeds and use of the dreaded word "unlimited".

Speaking to newmediaage, ASA Communications and Policy Manager Lynsay Taffe said: "We’ve looked at a number of complaints about individual ads in the telecoms sector regarding access speeds and usage limits and found that applying a single policy to how telecoms providers advertise can pose significant challenges."
"It’s important that we look at this on a broader policy level with service providers, other regulators and consumer groups, rather than relying on individual ASA rulings that focus on a particular service on one platform," she added. "Therefore, the ASA has invited CAP {Committee of Advertising Practice} and BCAP {British Code of Advertising Practice} to review broadband speed and ‘unlimited’ use claims."

Good news I'm sure you'll agree. Of course it would have been far better news were this investigation started five. years. ago. In fact a number of companies have already made subtle adjustments to their marketing in response to complaints with most ISPs now quoting "speeds up to" in their literature and Vodafone scrapped all unlimited data branding in May, something O2 followed this month.